Bowlers Journal International - February 2008 - (Page 32) TOURNAMENTS THE USBC MASTERS: BACK WHERE IT BELONGS USBC's premier event will return to the USBC Open lanes in 2009. WHEN THERE WAS STILL AN AMERIPBA Commissioner and CEO Fred $600 for a single-elimination shot can Bowling Congress, one of the Schreyer. "We agreed with the USBC at riches) meant dwindling entries, highlights of the tenpin calendar that some changes were needed to forcing manager Russ Hoinke to pull was ABC Masters Week, when the maximize the amount of attention this the plug only 10 days before the 2007 nation's top pro and amateur bowlers prestigious event will receive." edition. But a public outcry (in large competed on the ABC Tournament USBC, for its part, has big plans for part on the PBA message boards) lanes inside the host city's convenits most famous tournament. caused Hoinke to reconsider, and tion center. "The Masters is now positioned the Hoinke Scratch Classic was born In recent years, the main tournato achieve maximum television ratin the Super Hoinke's time slot. The ment has been known as the USBC ings," said USBC Vice President of modest entry fee ($200) attracted a Open Championships, and the Marketing and Communications modest field (157 bowlers), but many Masters has not been a part of the Tom Clark. "The plan is to build the said this is the right direction for the ongoing festivities. storied tournament. Hoinke That will change in 2009. says that while some tweakFor the first time since 2001, ing will be done, the 2008 the Masters will return to the edition is on, with its fiveUSBC Open lanes. As part of game qualifier and relatively the Denny's PBA Tour's 2008low entry fee. The 2007 event 09 season, the tournament was won by Brian Dennis of will move from the fall to the Durham, North Carolina, who winter, running February 8pocketed $4,500. 15 — immediately before the WHO CAN'T BOWL Open Championships kicks Bowlers are notorious for off at Cashman Center in Las looking for angles, particuVegas. larly when it comes to particiEven though it's one of the pating in big-money tournaTour's recognized majors, the ments. Now, in an age when Masters has not fared well in the line between a "profesthe ratings opposite NFL footLiz Johnson and Pete Weber, shown here with Chicagoland BPA Executive ball in the fall. The new time Director Bill Duff, set the target scores in the 47th Beat The Champions sional bowler" and an "amaframe should result in more event. BTC is conducted by the local proprietors' organization and co- teur bowler" has become ever eyeballs for the champion- sponsored by the Chicago Sun-Times, and proceeds benefit Sun-Times more blurred, lots of players ship round telecast. As for the charities. For area league bowlers to earn BTC bag tags, men will need to can be found reading the fine women must change in venue, the bowl- beat Weber's 771 series, whilein the Chicago top Johnson's 714. Comcast print of the rules governing SportsNet carried the telecast market on Christmas Day. the three Las Vegas "megaing fans of Milwaukee, the buck" events being held this city that has hosted the last month. In an effort to generate more four Masters tournaments, have only Masters into the pinnacle week in entries from "real" amateur bowlers, themselves to blame. This season's the sport of bowling, and this is a the High Roller, Mini-Eliminator (now championship round drew fewer than move in that direction." dubbed the Amateur Only Classic) 2,000 fans to Miller Park, which has a BACK FROM THE DEAD and True Amateur Tournament all seating capacity of just under 42,000, have enacted rules revolving around making it nearly impossible for the In one of bowling’s strangest turna bowler's "amateur" standing ESPN cameras to avoid showing big arounds, the Super Hoinke found ■ High Roller (including the A Game blocks of unoccupied seats — not itself dead, then reborn — all in a and Las Vegas Red Hot, February exactly the type of image that the matter of days. A Thanksgiving week2-9 at Sam's Town) — To its list of USBC and PBA want to project. end staple for more than 25 years, it ineligible bowlers, it has added play"We are looking forward to reposionce attracted packed fields of 1,280 ers from any country's national team tioning the Masters and are intrigued bowlers who chased a first-place (including Team USA) going back to to see what the change in location check of $100,000. But a changing 2003, and winners of selected interand timing will do for attendance, tournament landscape (fewer gamnational tournaments. media coverage and TV ratings," said blers willing to ante up more than GEORGE WOOTEN 32 bowlers journal international FEBRUARY 2008
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